Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 199 Personal Expedition
In the lobby of Guangzhou Provincial Administration, Zhu Lang sat in the main seat. On his left were cabinet ministers such as Lu Daqi, Chen Zizhuang, and He Wuzuo. On his right were military generals such as Jiao Lian and Ma Bao.
The victory in Guangzhou brought peace of mind to the people of Guangdong Province. As the officials from Zhaoqing arrived one after another, Guangzhou City was transformed into the capital, and the city became more and more crowded.
The Provincial Administration Office was directly requisitioned to become the palace of the Regent, the Provincial Surveillance Office became the office of the six ministries, and the Military Command Office was transferred to the Five Military Commands Office. The three original offices in Guangzhou had to move away and occupied the government office and the county offices of Nanhai and Panyu counties.

As for where the officials in the prefectures and counties will move to, the Sansi Yamen has no control over it. The people in the prefectures and counties can only figure it out themselves. Otherwise, how can they say that the officials in the prefectures and counties are full of evil and are the county magistrates?

In the lobby, Lu Daqi, Jiao Lian and others looked at the official report with shocked expressions on their faces.
The messenger from Fujian Province took only two days to travel thousands of miles to deliver the information from Fujian Province to Guangzhou.
After the victory report from Guangzhou reached Anping, the generals in the city surrendered to Zhang Tongchang without hesitation and joined the imperial court of Gui.

This is also a matter of course. If they don't surrender to Gui, who defeated the Qing court head-on and occupied several provinces, are they going to surrender to Lu, who fled after being defeated?
The world is in chaos, and everything is empty now. Only the military achievements in hand can deter the people of the world.
Zhang Tongchang and others tried to win over the generals in Fujian Province and promised them titles, but it was not as convincing as the great victory in Guangzhou.

At this time, most of Zheng's generals in Anping City had already joined the Fujian Provincial Governor's Office.
Shi Fu had 18,000 men, Zheng Hongkui, Zheng Zhibao and other Zheng family soldiers had 10,000 men, Huang Ting's navy had 8,000 men, plus Zhou Hezhi, Xin Yigen and other middle-level generals had another 15,000 to 16,000 men. This time, Zhang Tongchang and others gathered nearly 50,000 men in Fujian Province in one go.

Of course, these are the numbers reported by each family. No one knows how many vacancies there are among the 50,000 people, and how many women, children and family members are there to fill the numbers.
But even so, it was enough to make everyone in the field ecstatic. Without spending a single soldier, the imperial court suddenly had an extra 50,000 troops in Fujian Province. Who wouldn't be happy?
Zhu Lang wanted to send people to Fujian Province to confer titles, but Lu Daqi and other cabinet ministers also opposed it. How could so many dukes and marquises be conferred so easily?

However, Zhu Lang had just eliminated Ding Kuichu and had a large army under his command. He was really fierce, so he ignored everyone's opinions and forced the matter through.

The reason why everyone agreed at that time was actually largely because they felt that this matter would never succeed. They had also read the intelligence from Fujian Province confessed by Lin Cha. Zheng Zhilong had already shown his rebelliousness. How could he change his mind and fight to the death with the Qing court just for an empty title?
But now it seems that the regent's wishful thinking has actually become

Chen Zizhuang put down the battle report in his hand and looked at the young man above him. His face was still full of disbelief. He couldn't help but say

"How could your Highness be sure that Zheng Chenggong and Zheng Hongkui would surrender?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked up at His Royal Highness the Regent. Zheng Zhilong was captured, but Zheng Chenggong and Zheng Hongkui ignored Zheng Zhilong's safety and surrendered to the court just as His Royal Highness had predicted. This really puzzled everyone.

Zheng Chenggong is the son of Zheng Zhilong, and Zheng Hongkui is Zheng Zhilong's younger brother. Could it be that except for Zheng Zhilong who is stubborn and domineering, the rest of the Zheng family are all loyal and righteous people? When everyone thought of this, they felt it was absurd.

Zhu Lang was slightly panicked when he saw the ministers looking at him, but he remained calm and said softly:

"Didn't you all read Lin Cha's account? I also made my judgment based on what Lin Cha said. Zheng Zhilong surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, and even his own family members opposed it. That's why I guess there's an opportunity for Zheng's army to take advantage of it."

"But I didn't expect the Tartars to destroy their own Great Wall and directly capture Zheng Zhilong, which caused the Zheng generals to become alienated. I was also surprised that the court's entry into Fujian this time had such a good effect. I can only say that God really blesses my Ming Dynasty."

When Lu Daqi and others heard this, they looked at each other, not knowing how to respond.
Based on what Lin Cha said?

They also read Lin Cha's intelligence. How come they didn't see that Zheng Chenggong and Zheng Hongkui would surrender to the court?

In their view, Zheng Zhilong surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, and Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Chenggong were also beneficiaries. These people just talk about it, but when it comes to the time of choice, how could they really go against Zheng Zhilong?

But the childish behavior of His Highness actually paid off, and the reward was so generous.

Lu Daqi, Chen Zizhuang and the others were all amazed. It can only be said that there are real differences in the physiques of different people. For example, some people can slide and tackle tigers and leopards when they are extremely angry, while others are really just angry for a moment.

And those elders who held opposing opinions at the beginning were the ones who got angry in anger.

When Chen Zizhuang thought of this, he couldn't help but praise softly.

"Your Highness is so wise and far-sighted that I admire you."

Chen Zizhuang bowed his hands and saluted, while Lu Daqi, Su Guansheng and others also spoke at the same time and responded in unison.
"It was just luck, just luck"

Zhu Lang saw the ministers saluting, and a trace of embarrassment flashed across his face. He did not want to dwell on this matter any further, so he just brushed it aside and said:

"This is the current situation. What do you think the court should do now?"

Chen Zizhuang thought for a moment and then immediately spoke

"According to Zhang Tongchang, although Zheng has surrendered, the army is in a state of panic. The Qing army's vanguard has occupied Quanzhou City and may move south at any time. The most urgent task is to immediately stabilize the morale of the Fujian generals."

"Li Mingzhong is currently in Chaozhou. We can have him lead the army to occupy the main road into Fujian and support Zheng's army to stabilize Zhangzhou and Quanzhou..."

When Chen Zizhuang said this, everyone was stunned, and then they all looked up at His Royal Highness the Regent, their eyes filled with amazement.
Zheng's army had just surrendered, and Li Mingzhong's army had already gathered at the border of Fujian Province, just in time to enter Fujian. How could such a coincidence happen in the world?
His Highness the Regent just said that he was lucky to have predicted it, which was clearly a self-deprecating statement. His Highness the Regent must have calculated that Zheng would definitely surrender, so after the war he insisted on stationing Li Mingzhong's army in Chaozhou.
After the great victory that day, His Majesty the Regent insisted on sending Li Mingzhong to lead the army to Chaozhou, but they didn't take it seriously. Now it seems that they are the ones who are short-sighted.

Just based on Lin Cha's few words, His Royal Highness the Regent was able to accurately judge the situation in Fujian Province and predict the enemy's arrival thousands of miles away. This is truly terrifying.

Fortunately, His Royal Highness the Regent is on their side. If His Royal Highness the Regent is from the Tartar side, then he must not be allowed to stay! Seeing the expressions of Chen Zizhuang and others, Zhu Lang knew that these people must be imagining things in their minds, but Zhu Lang no longer cared about what they thought and said

"Li Mingzhong is at the front line, and this intelligence also came from his army. He knows the situation in Fujian Province, so he should take some action himself, so there is no need for us to urge him."

Zhu Lang thought for a moment, his face suddenly became serious, and he said in a deep voice:
"The armies of Li Chengdong and Tong Yangjia in Tingzhou and Yanping have been annihilated by the imperial court. Most of the Zheng family's generals in Zhangzhou and Quanzhou have also surrendered to the imperial court. At this time, the only Tartar army left in Fujian Province is Bolo in Fuzhou. As long as the isolated army in Fuzhou is annihilated, the imperial court can recover Fujian Province."

"I have decided to lead the army into Fujian and recover the province. What do you think?"

"Absolutely not"

As soon as Zhu Lang finished speaking, Lu Daqi's expression changed and he immediately spoke

"Your Majesty, the Regent, has just experienced the danger of defending the city. How can you lightly face the sword again? This time, Your Majesty, the Regent, held on with all his might. Although reinforcements finally arrived and defeated the Qing invaders in one fell swoop, there were also dangers in the process."

"Your Highness is a precious person. The Ming Dynasty now depends on you. Your Highness must not take risks again."

Lu Daqi had a resolute look on his face, and Su Guansheng, who was standing beside him, was also frightened when he heard this, and he agreed

"What Elder Lu said is very true. Your Highness is in charge of military affairs. The battlefield is dangerous and no one knows what the situation will be. If Your Highness wants to raise troops in Fujian Province, you can send a minister to lead the army in Fujian. Why take the risk yourself?"

"What Lord Su said is very true. This is also the opinion of our ministers. Your Highness the Regent is the foundation of our Ming Dynasty. Please stay in the court and control the four directions. Don't take any more risky actions."

Chen Zizhuang and others spoke in unison, and Jiao Lian, Ma Bao and other military officials beside them also stood up to stop them.
The great victory in Guangzhou has given Lü Daqi and others hope for the restoration of the Ming Dynasty, but they also know that this hope comes not only from the dedication of the civil and military officials, but also from the Gui Regent.
They have seen all the actions of His Highness the Regent since he took the throne. He has eliminated powerful ministers, taken control of the military, won over military generals, and checked and balanced the cabinet ministers. His Highness Gui the Regent is the best choice in terms of both character and skills.

What is even more rare is that after this prince ascended the throne, he did not indulge in pleasure at all, but instead expanded the army and cultivated martial arts to restore

They traveled all over the country and were sure that there was no other royal family member in the world who was more suitable than this prince to rule the Ming Dynasty.

As long as His Royal Highness the Regent maintains the current situation, even if the Ming Dynasty cannot recover its old territory, it can at least confront the Qing Dynasty from north to south and reproduce the situation of the Liao-Song confrontation. This judgment has become the consensus of the court after the victory in Guangzhou.

Zhu Lang now carries all the hopes of Lu Daqi and others. Once Zhu Lang makes a mistake, the Ming Dynasty will become a mess again. Therefore, in the cabinet, whether it is the Fujian and Guangdong factions, or Su Guansheng's imperial party, they will never allow Zhu Lang to fail.
This is true for civil officials, and even more so for military officials. Jiao Lian and Li Mingzhong are all trusted military generals promoted by Zhu Lang after he ascended the throne. Ma Bao was able to take charge of an army only because of Zhu Lang's strong support.

Their military power and status all came from Zhu Lang. Military officials such as Jiao Lian and Ma Bao were even more reluctant than civil officials to let Zhu Lang take risks.
Zhu Lang looked at the ministers who were all bowing their heads in the hall, but his face did not waver at all. After calling everyone back, he spoke directly.
"If it were possible, I would not want to lead the army to travel around, but if I want to recapture Fujian Province now, I must lead the army into Fujian in person!"

"Lord Su said that we can send a minister to Fujian Province to supervise the army. But I want to ask, who are you going to send to Fujian Province to supervise the army? Which minister in the court can suppress Zheng's people?"

Chen Zizhuang and others below were stunned when they heard this.

In their minds, the most suitable candidate at this time is undoubtedly Lu Daqi. Lu Daqi is a minister of Longwu Pavilion and is familiar with the situation in Fujian Province. He is the most suitable candidate.

But after hearing what Zhu Lang said, they also realized that Lu Daqi might find it difficult to control the situation in Fujian Province.

The number of Zheng's surrendered troops is as high as 50,000, almost twice the number of troops in the court now. Even if Lu Daqi leads Li Mingzhong to Fujian, can he really suppress Shi Fu and others and make them obey his orders?
Although Shi Fu and others now claim to have surrendered, the military power is still in the hands of Shi Fu and others. Once the court wants to drive them to fight the Qing army, no one knows what they will do.

If we can't control these 50,000 people, let alone recovering Fujian Province, there might even be chaos.
If these people surrendered to the Qing Dynasty temporarily, or directly fled to Guangdong Province with the army, no one would be responsible for this.
Seeing that Lu Daqi and the others were frowning, Zhu Lang spoke again

"And everyone, don't forget that in addition to the Tartars, there is also a Lu Regent in Fujian Province."

When Lu Daqi and others heard this, their faces immediately became serious. Not to mention the Tartars, the Lu Regent was also their biggest worry.

According to Zhang Tongchang's report, Zheng Cai and Yang Geng refused to surrender and joined the Lu Regent.
Zheng Cai claimed to have 30,000 naval forces, and Yang Geng also had more than 8,000 men under his command. These people also supported Lu Jianguo and occupied the central and left areas of Fujian Province.
Zheng's generals and ministers could still be lured and controlled, but they had no way to deal with Lu's ministers. From the perspective of status alone, it was difficult for Lu Daqi and others to suppress Lu's ministers.
This is not a problem that can be solved by recognizing or not recognizing the legitimacy of Lu Jianguo. Although Lu Daqi and other cabinet ministers can refuse to recognize Lu Jianguo's identity, Lu Jianguo has long been famous and has occupied the orthodox position of some people.
They refused to admit it, but they couldn't stop others from admitting it. At this time, except for Zhu Lang himself, who else could suppress the regent Nalu?
At this time, the Zheng family generals in Fujian Province are in command of a large army, and Lu Jianguo is watching from the sidelines. The Qing invaders are also eyeing them covetously. Apart from His Highness leading the army himself, who has the confidence to calm the chaos in Fujian Province?
When Lu Daqi and his ministers thought of this, they realized that it was just as His Royal Highness the Regent said. Unless the court did not intend to manage Fujian Province, His Royal Highness would have no choice but to lead the army in person.
"This matter is settled now. You don't need to worry so much. Although I am leading the army, I am only at the front line, not charging into the battle personally. How can there be any danger?"

Seeing Zhu Lang's determined expression, the ministers knew that it would be difficult to persuade His Royal Highness the Regent, so they could only nod their heads.
In fact, they could not stop Zhu Lang's decision at this time. Since the victory in Guangzhou, Zhu Lang's prestige in the court has been rising. With this great victory as a foundation, who can shake an emperor who is in the orthodox position and has military merits?
At this time, let alone Zhu Lang's intention to lead the army to recover the lost territory and do real work, even if Zhu Lang wanted to open the harem and prepare to continue playing music and dancing to enjoy himself, these cabinet ministers would have no way to deal with Zhu Lang.
Zhu Lang saw that all the ministers agreed, and a hint of satisfaction flashed across his face.

He had already felt the benefits of this great victory. After the victory in Guangzhou, everything he did in the court seemed to go much more smoothly.

Whether it was the matter of the Sizheng Hall or the matter of going to war, as long as he could come up with a plausible reason and remain firm in his attitude, the ministers in the court would definitely give in and let him do what he wanted.
In the past, people would often resign or even die for him, but now it almost never happens.

It can only be said that this is the way things are in this world. When the ministers found out that His Royal Highness the Regent really dared to kill people, naturally no one would joke about their own lives anymore.
(End of this chapter)